I have several pairs of Zoic Antidotes and have been very pleased with their durability, pockets, and overall performance. Zippered vent panels, waist adjustment, etc. The liners haven't held up quite as well, but I'm still pleased and they're cheaper to replace. They have many miles on them. I will replace these with more Zoics.

I have Canari in foam and gel. The gel is awesome. I wear them under various shorts including workout and cargo shorts. $20-40 each. I also have padded underwear from Amazon that works well and they were $8-10.

I have no MTB specific shorts yet $$ is tuff to spend on shorts so I just were what I have...

I see no purpose in MTB specific shorts. I think its pretty silly. Shorts are shorts. If your ass hurts, keep riding till it toughens up.
I started throwing some road in the mix,they are the worst. I love being the only non spandex guy blowing past everyone.
If you are putting down alot of miles then maybe a cheap pair of compression shorts for underwear.(as in $10 at walmart)

I'll take some board shorts or other generic baggies with a liner or bike shorts underneath. My venerable Quiksilver board shorts fit better than anything I've tried and are indestructible. Turned off big time on MTB specific shorts. Agree that they are overpriced.

I have Canari in foam and gel. The gel is awesome. I wear them under various shorts including workout and cargo shorts.

And me I can't stand my Canari gel shorts. Just goes to show that everything is so subjective.

Personally I like the REI house brand Novura, I think it is, for the combination liner and shorts. Other then that I like the Pearl Isumi chamois and plain old Wrangler Cargo shorts during the summer. Lots of pockets. You can shop through REI outlet cheap and try the ones that they carry. They carry a bunch of different brands then their own.

I do like to wear mine loose so I have some undershirt suspenders to keep them in place. Nice and soft. Amazon carries them.

Re: Mtn Bike Shorts Question-What Type?

I'll take some board shorts or other generic baggies with a liner or bike shorts underneath. My venerable Quiksilver board shorts fit better than anything I've tried and are indestructible. Turned off big time on MTB specific shorts. Agree that they are overpriced.

In addition to my zoic shorts I also wear several pairs of $20 Quiksilver or O'Neill boardshorts I got from Costco. I like them just fine but they are not nearly as durable. I have ripped the crotch out of one pair just sitting on some granite rocks. But still I like them. They are lightweight and cheap.

I suppose I am even cheaper than some of the other replies. You already have "road bike shorts" so you should just wear them. They'll be just as comfortable as they are on your road bike and won't get hung up on the seat. I think you will find them to be cooler too.

I find the best solution for poison oak (out west but the same problem) is to stay out of it. This can make for some fun acrobatics on tight trails in the spring. Long socks may help, but you'll still get the oil on them and then onto everything else.

The royal matrix shorts have been my go to for the past 9 months. Unfortunatly the elastic on the waistband stretched & they no longer hold tight. (Never had this happen on a pair of bike shorts espicially that quick.

If you like longer I have been using Norrona shorts lately. Backcountry.com is US retailer. So far very impressed. Lots of pockets, expandable vents, seem well made this far. They are expensive but you can find coupons at backcountry. You can get a little cheaper direct from Norrona but that means shipping & possible return from Norway if they don't fit.

Shorts are a personal fit - Go try on a bunch of different brands and see what fits your body best. Buy them end of year and on closeouts. I like shorts with a separate liner, it makes changing into jeans or clean shorts easier. I tend to carry everything in my pack - I've fallen on a multitool in a pocket one too many times...

I wear compression shorts (undies) under board shorts. I got 4-5 pairs of Hawk (as in Tony) board shorts from Kohls for $20 a pop... Less with a coupon. They kick ass. Comfortable and not too loose/baggy. Only thing I hate is that the compression shorts ride up my legs.
Anyway, I like that I can have 5 pairs of riding shorts/bathing suits for around the same price as 1 pair of mountain bike shorts.

Last year I tried a variety of shorts including board shorts , basketball shorts, running shorts etc. Yes in comparison they are much cheaper and you can get by with them.

However MTB specific shorts (good ones anyway) are really a separate category of usefulness and comfort. First they are cut properly , many offer different forms of ventilation , padded liners , most come with fantastic pocket placements , well placed stretch panels , and biggest of all thought out waist cinching.
I cant say whether or not its worth it since durability is a huge concern and you never know. But if they all lasted without degradation Id much rather have one pair of MTB shorts than 3-4 shorts of other purposes.
Its honestly like comparing walmart sneakers to a pair of high end Nikes. The price difference is ludicrous and unnecessary, but there's no comparison in terms of comfort.

One combo I didnt try but would probably work is "roadie" shorts with some basketball or running shorts over them.

Endura Singletrack (no liner) and Endura Humvee are both bomber shorts. You've been a roadie so you'll have some old road shorts. Use them as liners as they are far superior to anything sold as a liner.

Another vote here for Zoic shorts. I've only tried the Ether line. If you sign up through their site you can get 20% off your first purchase. Also you can buy them without the liners for cheaper. I had two pairs with liners I bought from the store but then bought 2 pairs without the liners for about $20 less and just rotate the two liners. I can't wear more than one pair at a time. Also, if you have a Performance Bike store anywhere near you then you can get 10% back in credit to use in the future.

My only regret was not buying the bright blue ones before it was too late.

I randomly picked up a pair of Sugoi RPM shorts on fire sale a few weeks and they fit me great - nice and snug around the crotch and zero issues hooking on the seat. Comfortable liner and good length that doesn't catch on my knee pads either. I've never heard of Sugoi before but these shorts are solid.

Of all the baggies I have tried, the Sugoi Gustov is my favorite. Not cheap (I think mine were around $90-$100) but so freaking worth it on longer rides. So many baggies treat the chamois like an afterthought. These have a road-worthy chamois (as all bike shorts should, IMO).

That said, when it come s to shear practical performance on long rides of any sort, baggies will always come in behind regular "road" shorts, IMO. I still like to wear my Gustovs, but I am not kidding anyone that it is about anything other than looks. My favorite short for long ass rides is the Sugoi RS shorts.

I have tried loads of highly recommended baggies under $50, and some just ended up at goodwill, others are now back-up shorts.

I rode seriously for two years before getting by first pair of real bike shorts. Could have kicked myself in the ass for not doing it the day I started riding. It was another 3 years before I bought my first really good pair. Again, if I knew what I was missing, I would have done it front he beginning. The price $70 price difference between a bargain pair and high quality pair is so negligible when you consider how important a piece of gear it is.

I think there is something to be said for the regular (board?) shorts worn over road shorts. I sometimes do this on road rides when I get to some Deliverance-ish areas of WV. I don't want to attract any extra attention. My problem with that on the MTB is that they slide around to much. The baggies I like have the chamois liner attached to the outer shell just at two points, one on each side. This allows the inner and outer to move separately when needed, but keep the shell from sliding too far.

I've bought four pairs of mtb shorts over the last 6 months (mostly on sale). I think there's a big difference with mtb specific shorts and average polyester shorts, and no way in hell I'm going the lycra route.

Endura Humvee - Really high quality. They run small, so try them on. They have a ton of features, but are relatively heavy. If you don't ride with a backpack and want the pockets, these would be my recommendation.

Royal Hexlite - Thin and comfortable. The liner in mine was crap, tossed it after two rides because it already had holes in it. I continue to use the shorts with a Pearl Izumi liner.

Fox Ranger 12in - Cool and comfortable, probably more durable, but not as cool, as the Royal Hexlite. Good liner. These are my fav so far.

Zoic Ether - Similar to the Fox, but run small like Endura. Really nice shorts.

I'd buy any of these except the Royals again if I saw them on sale. Unfortunately, this is probably not the time to find good sales on mtb gear.